The Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ehsan Mani on Thursday said that the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 4 matches scheduled for Lahore and Karachi would be held on schedule despite the uncertainty prevailing in the region due to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.
Flanked by the owners of the six PSL franchises, Mani said after reviewing the situation it had been decided to hold the PSL matches on schedule in Pakistan from March 7 to 17, including the final in Karachi.
"The franchise owners are in total agreement with this decision and even the overseas players who had initially agreed to play in Pakistan will be going with their franchises to Lahore and Karachi," he said.
Due to the increasing tensions between India and Pakistan and fears of a conflict between the two nuclear armed nations, there were speculations that the Pakistan leg of the PSL would be held in Dubai.
Asked if the PCB had consulted the government in this matter before taking the decision, Mani said it was purely a decision of the board.
Asked whether the board was prepared to provide the required security for the teams and overseas players despite war-like conditions in the region, Mani said everything would be done as earlier planned.
But Mani stated that the PCB would continue to monitor the situation.
"But when Australia can play in India at this time and we also have a women's team in India the scenario is no different in Pakistan as far as security is concerned so we see no reason to change our plans," he said.
This is the first time that the PCB is holding eight matches of the PSL in Pakistan since its launch in 2016.
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